


New Year's Resolutions

by glyphsbowtie



Category: Marvel
Genre: Drunken Confessions, First Kiss, M/M, New Year's Eve, Not Actually Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 06:48:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17299778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glyphsbowtie/pseuds/glyphsbowtie
Summary: “Thought you’d be downstairs kissing that woman,” he says, softly.Tony is pacing, eyes everywhere but on Rhodey. “Did you? Why?”“That’s how every party ends.”





	New Year's Resolutions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WingMoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingMoon/gifts).



> For the Marvel Holiday Swap :)

“What’s your resolution?” Rhodey asks, staring at Tony over the rim of his glass. It’s almost eleven, and he’s already had more alcohol than he planned to. He doesn’t usually drink very much, but Romanoff keeps nudging fresh glasses towards him.

“Hmm?” Tony asks, his wide eyes bloodshot as he looks at his friend. He, too, has had too much to drink. For Tony, parties like these mean that he spends far longer than he would like talking to people he doesn’t really want to talk to, and not having enough time to spend with his actual friends.

He’s unbuttoned the top of his shirt, pulled his tie loose. His hair is sticking up rather endearingly.

Rhodey tries hard not sigh. “Your resolution. Your new year’s resolution.”

Tony’s dry response is predictable. “Why change perfection, Rhodey?”

Rhodey reaches across the sofa they’re both sitting on to ruffle Tony’s soft hair fondly; he knows he’s one of the few people in the world allowed to be so affectionate with the eccentric genius. The rest of them are beautiful, glamorous creatures, and he tries hard not to envy them. He’s had to watch a string of lovely women date his friend, and he’s hated every single one of them.

Because he’s in love with Tony Stark.

Who wouldn’t be in love with Tony? He’s gorgeous, yes, but that’s not all- he’s funny, brave and kind. Fair enough, the kindness is hidden very, very deep down, but it’s there.

Rhodey has seen Tony at his very lowest, patched up his wounds and wiped his tears. They’ve shared things that nobody else could imagine. It’s the plot of any romantic movie, except that Tony isn’t in love with him.

There’s no evidence that Tony even likes men. And he  _ definitely _ likes women.

“Oi,” Tony says, shuffling away with a grumpy expression. “I’ve just said that perfection is not to be changed, Rhodey.”

“Perfection, huh?” Rhodey forces a cocky smirk.

Tony blinks, his eyes suddenly intense. “Are you telling me- seriously- that there’s anything you’d change about me?”

It’s impossible to tell how serious he’s being. Rhodey decides- fuck it, he’s had five beers- to lower his eyelashes and offer Tony a flirtatious smile. “Absolutely nothing. You’re flawless, obviously.”

Tony blushes. It’s such an unexpected reaction for both of them that Rhodey’s smile drops into a frown as Tony reaches up to touch his own cheek, no doubt feeling the blood burning there. His cheeks have taken on a decidedly pink tone.

“Obviously,” he mutters. “Look, I’m going to go talk to the British prime minister. I’ll see you soon.”

Rhodey stares as Tony leaps agilely from the sofa and scuttles off. That was odd. Rhodey’s own heart is beating a little quickly. What is going on with Tony?

An hour passes, and it’s nearly midnight. Rhodey is at the bar, ordering yet another beer, when Tony materialises next to him, now mysteriously without his tie completely. Rhodey can see the slight sheen of sweat on his throat.

“Hey, you okay?” he asks.

Tony blinks up at him, apparently surprised to see him. “Rhodey,” he says. “How.... how are you finding the party?”

“Tiring,” Rhodey admits. His stomach squirms in a familiar fashion as he watches Tony sip his beer. “When it gets to midnight, I’m going to bed.”

“You’re staying here, right?” Tony asks.

“I am. I expect I’ll see you at breakfast.” He forces a smile. “You can tell me all about whoever you end up kissing at midnight.”

“Oh- god, what? No. I’m an eccentric philanthropist, Rhodey, not some horny teenager in a nightclub.” Tony looks pink again.

“That’s not what you said last year.”

“I-”

Whatever Tony intends to say, it’s cut off as a lovely woman with long black hair taps him on the arm. She offers him a dazzling smile as he turns to her, and he returns it, charm oozing from every drunken pore.

This lovely girl is his midnight kiss.

And it’s time for Rhodey to leave.

Feeling like a shit Cinderella, he crosses the room, trying hard not to imagine Tony’s mouth pressed up against yet another beautiful woman. This has got to stop. He needs sleep.

There’s a room he usually uses when he stays here at the Tower, and he slams the door behind him as he enters it, focusing hard on breathing slowly through his nose. It’s dark and quiet in the room.

Happy fucking new year.

He strips, hands shaking, and collapses in the bed. When he squeezes his eyes closed, all he can see is Tony’s face, his eyes sparkling, his cheeks glowing. Maybe it’s time to leave again. Perhaps they need some time apart.

He flinches as fireworks explode loudly outside. He can hear distant singing.

It’s midnight.

Tony’s kissing that girl.

Rhodey feels sick.

There’s a knock at the door.

“Go away!” he shouts.

“It’s me, you grumpy old man,” Tony’s voice rumbles through the door.

Rhodey freezes. What…? Why? He scrambles out of bed, reaching for his jeans and pulling them on quickly before heading over to the door and tugging it open.

“Are you okay?” he asks Tony.

Tony is leaning against the doorframe. His shirt is now entirely unbuttoned. He looks wild. “Okay? I don’t know, to be honest.”

“Right,” Rhodey says, unsure what to do. When Tony becomes manic he’s very unpredictable. “Well… do you want to come in?”

Tony nods, entering the room with his fingers twisted together. As he goes past, Rhodey breathes in the scent of his aftershave.

“Thought you’d be downstairs kissing that woman,” he says, softly.

Tony is pacing, eyes everywhere but on Rhodey. “Did you? Why?”

“That’s how every party ends.”

Tony snorts. “It’s not.”

“It is. Last year was the girl with the red hair. The year before was the one with the nose ring. I think the year before was that Scandinavian princess…”

Tony stops. He is staring at Rhodey now, who stops talking automatically, pinned beneath that intense stare he loves so much.

“How do you remember all that?” Tony asks, his voice low.

“How…? It’s not a big deal.” Rhodey tastes the bitter flavour of the lie in his mouth and tries hard to keep his face neutral.

“I don’t remember you kissing anyone at my parties. You hang out with me and then when I… when I  _ talk to _ a beautiful woman, you disappear.”

Rhodey has the same feeling he gets when he’s falling down, aware that something enormous and potentially painful is waiting at the bottom, and there’s nothing he can do to stop it. “Well…”

“See, I’ve been thinking. My resolution is to be more honest about how I feel about stuff, because, let’s be honest, I’m dreadful at that.” Tony takes a step closer. “I think I’m in love with you. I think I always have been. And I think you feel the same.”

Rhodey almost-  _ almost-  _ pinches himself. “Say that again.”

“I think you feel the same?” Tony’s eyes are sparkling.

“No- the other bit.”

“I’m in love with you. I think. I know.” Tony reaches out, one hand brushing Rhodey’s chest. “I love you.”

Rhodey exhales. “You’re not drunk? Well, I mean, you clearly are, but you’re not just saying this because-?”

Tony shakes his head. “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time.”

Rhodey, afterwards, won’t be able to remember who started it, but they’re kissing, Tony’s mouth hot and delicious against his own, his hands coming up under the shredded ruins of Tony’s shirt to wrap firmly around his waist.

“Happy new year,” Tony says, breathing the words into his mouth.


End file.
